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Christina McMullen
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A Shot at the Big Time Kindle Edition

by Christina McMullen (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 23 ratings
Now entering Maxima City, home to heroes, villains, the news reporters caught in the middle, and everyday citizens just trying to live their lives.

Volume 1: A Shot at the Big Time
Lisa Raskin is a woman with big aspirations. Sure, there are worse things than being the second in command to Maxima City’s one and only female supervillain and Lisa knows she has a pretty sweet gig. But no one ever dreams of being second banana, so when she’s given the opportunity to join the Coalition of Evil, Maxima City’s who’s-who of A-lister Malevolents, Lisa jumps at the chance. Especially since this means she can finally have her revenge against Magnificent Man, the hero responsible for the tragedy that turned her to the dark side. But becoming a household name isn’t all evil plans and underground lairs. There are hoops to jump through, brand consultation meetings, damages to pay for, and diva costume designers to deal with. Worst of all, Magnificent Man has made himself scarcer than pockets on women’s clothing. Add in an antagonistic ex, a clueless rival, and a taxing day job, and it’s no wonder this ice talent is about to lose her cool.
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  1. Book 1 of 4
    Maxima City Talent
  2. Print length
    187 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    October 21, 2016
  6. File size
    1.4 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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 See full series
There are 4 books in this series.

From the Publisher

Heroes, Villains, Moral Gray Areas.
Maxima City Talent: A multi-authored series of superhero satire

Meet Maxima City’s Authors

Comic image of author Christina McMullen

Christina McMullen

Christina McMullen is a sci-fi and fantasy author who can't seem to keep humor from creeping into everything she does. Her Talent alter-ego is Madame Roboto, a supervillain with the power to command all things technical, and hellbent on amassing an entire army of robots.

Ben Mariner

Ben Mariner

Ben Mariner is a guy who writes books that some people think are funny. He enjoys cheese, tomatoes, and bread, but only when combined to make pizza. His Talent alter-ego is Officer Detective, a brilliant crime solver who focuses on helping the world recover lost ink pens and loose change...and he always closes the case.

CB Archer

CB Archer

CB Archer likes to break conventions, and fourth walls, with his writing. Despite his best efforts to remain serious, he always fails spectacularly. His Talent alter-ego is Digital Graphite, a wandering artist who draws book cover art for tips on the boardwalk, but always loses the best spot to his silent arch-nemesis Crypto-Mimer.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01LX4N8HQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Christina McMullen
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 21, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.4 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 187 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 4 ‏ : ‎ Maxima City Talent
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 23 ratings

About the author

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Christina McMullen

Christina McMullen

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Christina McMullen is a science fiction and fantasy author who just can't seem to keep humor from sneaking into everything she writes. When she's not writing (which is most of the time these days), she's either getting her butt kicked in Mario Kart or catering to the whims of a very small and very grouchy dog.

For updates and information on future releases, promos, and giveaways, please follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mcmullenwrites

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
23 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy the book's writing style and find it will have them laughing from start to finish, describing it as a shining gem of satire and comedy. They appreciate the character development, with one customer highlighting the relatable protagonist and another noting the satirical take on the superhero genre.

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Character developmentHumorWriting style
8 customers mention "Character development"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one customer highlighting the relatable protagonist and another noting the satirical take on the superhero genre.

"...I loved it all in this book. I loved the characters, especially Lisa the IT girl by day and icy supervillain by night who's also known as Frostbyte..." Read more

"...The lingo of the heroes and villains. The dry humor. The poking-fun at women’s fashion. The amazing attitude of our tech savvy protagonist...." Read more

"...the MC was even though she's got superpowers, she's still a relatable character (considering I work in IT, she may be a little too relatable) with..." Read more

"...A Shot at the Big Time” is a wry and satirical take on the Super Hero genre by Christina McMullen...." Read more

7 customers mention "Humor"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, describing it as a shining gem of satire and comedy that will have them laughing from start to finish.

"...+A smart and funny female lead +Non-stop laughter (literally) +Filled with tons of geeky easter eggs (lets count them together)..." Read more

"...The lingo of the heroes and villains. The dry humor. The poking-fun at women’s fashion. The amazing attitude of our tech savvy protagonist...." Read more

"...Humor and satire are something I know this author does well from reading some of her other works, so that was no surprise...." Read more

"...Put the two together, and you have a shining gem of satire and comedy. This book is a page turner that will have you laughing from start to finish...." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing style"3 positive0 negative

Customers love the author's writing style, with one noting its strong narration.

"...+Crisp writing, pages fly by smoothly...." Read more

"...There are many moving parts to the book, but the strong narration is what holds it in place...." Read more

"...It was so much fun! I love this author's writing style, as well as sense of humor. I absolutely recommend it!..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • BelartTheIlliterateReviewer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Shot of Funny Time
    Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2016
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book is for those looking for some superhero humor on the adult side of the equation. It features real-ish characters in a real-ish world that is inhabited by superheroes derogatorily called Figs (short for action figures) and villains called Mals or Cacklers by some, but the world isn't as cut and dry as good vs. evil. Corporate forces and the desire to make some dough...some scratch...some cheddar...some green, yeah some green, makes the prospect of being a person of Talent whether fig or Mal a public relations nightmare which also sets the stage for some Grade A hilarity.

    I loved it all in this book. I loved the characters, especially Lisa the IT girl by day and icy supervillain by night who's also known as Frostbyte--see what she did there? I thought Lisa's primary motivation was a great subversion and was played for laughs pretty well. And I really like it in superhero books when you get to see a protagonist's full life, from day job to what equates to a dating life or bar time in this case, to superhero shenanigans.

    The world was also set up beautifully and had a lot of creative touches that I liked. I enjoyed the naming conventions for the Figs and Mals, as well as the reasoning for having or using Talent in the first place. Oh and powers are called Talents, which sometimes adds a confusing twist to things (as also recognized by Lisa) but gives this book more personality.

    +Crisp writing, pages fly by smoothly.
    +A smart and funny female lead
    +Non-stop laughter (literally)
    +Filled with tons of geeky easter eggs (lets count them together)
    +Tons of creative heroes and villains--ahem--Figs and Mals with tons of pun-tastic names
    +Great subversions.

    I received an ARC (advanced review copy) of A Shot at the Big Time.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Sarah S
    5.0 out of 5 stars Light and hilarious superhero/villain story mocking tropes real-life and comic
    Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2016
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I’ve been on a superhero kick lately. I’ve been eating up superhero content left and right and when I saw Christina McMullen had written a book about superheroes I knew I was done for.

    Even if I wasn’t done before I even started the novel, I would be done shortly into it. A Shot at the Big Time hits so many points in rapid succession. The lingo of the heroes and villains. The dry humor. The poking-fun at women’s fashion. The amazing attitude of our tech savvy protagonist. The abilities. The supporting cast. It’s all great.

    There are many moving parts to the book, but the strong narration is what holds it in place. I really felt for our ‘evil’ protagonist as she progresses through the ranks and tries to do what she wants when there is so much politics buzzing around her and driving her nearly off the edge. Feels too much like life. Which it is, but in the fun context of absurd superheroes and villains. Speaking of those villains/heroes, I enjoyed the ideas behind them and how they mocked Marvel/DC characters.

    I also really liked how the story wrapped up in that regard. Putting it all on its head and Lisa pushing along and making her own path. It was highly deserved. The door is definitely open for more at the end. And I don’t want it to end. I want to see more of Lisa and how her choices affect the world around her. The story was just that much fun.

    So, basically: A Shot at the Big Time was absolutely joyful and I highly recommend it. Read it!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Daniel
    5.0 out of 5 stars She just needs a catchphrase... or maybe not
    Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2016
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Can I be honest for a sec and admit that while I love how popular superheroes are right now, I've been a bit underwhelmed with the latest offerings? It's true. That's probably part of the reason why I enjoyed this book so much - it was such a departure from the norm. It's told from the POV of a "mal" (bad guy - or gal in this case) that gets a chance to move up into the big leagues, but instead gets a surprising look 'behind the cape' at what being an A-list super entails.

    You'll likely find some of the characters familiar and a few are hilarious parodies *cough* Nocturno *cough* of popular heroes. Two things I really love about this book are the humor and the main character. Humor and satire are something I know this author does well from reading some of her other works, so that was no surprise. What I enjoyed about the MC was even though she's got superpowers, she's still a relatable character (considering I work in IT, she may be a little too relatable) with normal problems compounded by not so normal super ones. While she's a mal, by the end of the book we can see she, and most all of the other characters, are a lot more grey than they are black or white.

    This book was a very fast read for me, too fast really, but that's part of what makes it a 5 star read. I hear rumors the author will be writing more stories in this world and I can't wait to see them.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Jane
    4.0 out of 5 stars Baddies with sex appeal
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 30, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Superheroes with humour, and an all too human attitude. I love the light touch and the snarky humour Christina brings to the business of being a comic book baddie.
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